Find research datasets worth reusing

opencc-zeroSep 2020View details →

Public health and economic benefits of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in a peri-urban system

Species that depend on anthropogenic waste for food can remove pathogens that pose health risks to humans and livestock, thereby saving lives and money. Quantifying these benefits is rare, yet can lead to innovative conservation solutions. To assess these benefits, we examined the feeding ecology and population size of peri-urban spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in Mekelle, Ethiopia. We integrated these field data into a disease transmission model to predict: a) the number of anthrax and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infections arising in humans and livestock from infected carcass waste, and b) the costs associated with treating these infections and losing livestock. We compared these public health and economic outcomes under two scenarios: a) hyenas are present, and b) the counterfactual, hyenas are absent. We estimated that hyenas annually remove 4.2% (207 tonnes) of the total carcass waste disposed of by residents and businesses in Mekelle. Furthermore, the scavenging behaviour of hyenas annually prevents five infections of anthrax and bTB in humans, and 140 infections in cattle, sheep and goats. This disease control service potentially saves USD 52,165 due to the treatment costs and livestock loss avoided. Synthesis and applications. This human-hyena interaction in Ethiopia is evidence that large carnivores can contribute to human health and economy. To retain these benefits and maintain tolerance of hyenas, we recommend: introducing education programs to promote safe outdoor behaviour around hyenas, training watchdogs to alert residents of hyena presence, constructing bomas to protect livestock from hyena attacks, and preserving the hyenas' access to carcass waste to reduce their dependency on livestock predation. With humans and carnivores coming more frequently into contact, understanding and communicating how these species can benefit humanity will be critical to motivating human-carnivore coexistence worldwide.

opencc-zeroOct 2020View details →

Social status, forest disturbance, and Barred Owls shape long-term trends in breeding dispersal distance of Northern Spotted Owls

Dispersal among breeding sites in territorial animals (i.e. breeding dispersal) is driven by numerous selection pressures, including competition and spatiotemporal variation in habitat quality. The scale and trend of dispersal movements over time may signal changing conditions within the population or on the landscape. We examined 2,158 breeding dispersal events from 694 male and 608 female individually-marked Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) monitored over 28 years on seven study areas to assess the relative importance of individual (sex, experience), reproductive (annual productivity, mate availability), and environmental (forest alteration, presence of competitor) sources of variation in breeding dispersal distance. Median breeding dispersal distance was 3.17 km, with 99% of all breeding dispersal events less than 37 km. Mean annual dispersal distances increased by 2.43 km in Oregon and 9.40 km in Washington between 1990 and 2017, which coincided with increases in annual detections of non-native Barred Owl (S. varia). Frequency of breeding dispersal events, both among and within individuals, also increased over time. Female owls moved farther than males (median of 3.26 km and 3.10 km respectively), and birds with less experience (territory tenure) moved farther than those with more experience. Owls that were single in the year prior to dispersal moved 13–31% farther than those paired prior to dispersal. The greatest environmental change occurring over the course of our study was the expansion of Barred Owl populations. Breeding dispersal distance was positively related to Barred Owls in the study area and disturbance within the originating territory. While it appears that social factors continue to be important drivers of breeding dispersal distance in Spotted Owls, increased competition from Barred Owls and habitat alteration have a contributing effect. Increased breeding dispersal distances should be of concern for conservation efforts and considered in population monitoring because changing dispersal behavior may lead to higher rates of mortality and/or emigration from historic study areas.

FIGURE 5 in A new white-spotted moray eel, Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov. (Muraenidae Muraeninae) from Andaman Sea, India

FIGURE 5. Dentition of upper and lower jaws of holotype of Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov.

FIGURE 4 in A new white-spotted moray eel, Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov. (Muraenidae Muraeninae) from Andaman Sea, India

FIGURE 4. Lateral view of head pores of holotype of Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov.

FIGURE 1 in A new white-spotted moray eel, Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov. (Muraenidae Muraeninae) from Andaman Sea, India

FIGURE 1. Map showing the collection locations of Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov.

FIGURE 2 in A new white-spotted moray eel, Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov. (Muraenidae Muraeninae) from Andaman Sea, India

FIGURE 2. Radiograph of holotype of Gymnothorax aurocephalus sp. nov.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Transcriptomic analysis of the lesser spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) pancreas, liver and brain reveals molecular level conservation of vertebrate pancreas function

Background: Understanding the evolution of the vertebrate pancreas is key to understanding its functions. The chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish such as sharks and rays) have often been suggested to possess the most ancient example of a distinct pancreas with both hormonal (endocrine) and digestive (exocrine) roles. The lack of genetic, genomic and transcriptomic data for cartilaginous fish has hindered a more thorough understanding of the molecular-level functions of the chondrichthyan pancreas, particularly with respect to their "unusual" energy metabolism (where ketone bodies and amino acids are the main oxidative fuel source) and their paradoxical ability to both maintain stable blood glucose levels and tolerate extensive periods of hypoglycemia. In order to shed light on some of these processes, we carried out the first large-scale comparative transcriptomic survey of multiple cartilaginous fish tissues: the pancreas, brain and liver of the lesser spotted catshark, Scyliorhinus canicula. Results: We generated a mutli-tissue assembly comprising 86,006 contigs, of which 44,794 were assigned to a particular tissue or combination of tissues based on mapping of sequencing reads. We have characterised transcripts encoding genes involved in insulin regulation, glucose sensing, transcriptional regulation, signaling and digestion, as well as many peptide hormone precursors and their receptors for the first time. Comparisons to mammalian pancreas transcriptomes reveals that mechanisms of glucose sensing and insulin regulation used to establish and maintain a stable internal environment are conserved across jawed vertebrates and likely pre-date the vertebrate radiation. Conservation of pancreatic hormones and genes encoding digestive proteins support the single, early evolution of a distinct pancreatic gland with endocrine and exocrine functions in jawed vertebrates. In addition, we demonstrate that chondrichthyes lack pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and that reports of PP in the literature are likely due cross-reaction with PYY and/or NPY in the pancreas. A three hormone islet organ is therefore the ancestral jawed vertebrate condition, later elaborated upon only in the tetrapod lineage. Conclusions: The cartilaginous fish are a great untapped resource for the reconstruction of patterns and processes of vertebrate evolution and new approaches such as those described in this paper will greatly facilitate their incorporation into the rank of "model organism".

opencc-zeroAug 2019View details →

Data from: Male mate choice for large gravid spots in a livebearing fish

Male mate choice occurs in a wide range of species, and males can increase their reproductive success by distinguishing between females based on their fecundity (e.g. large body size) or their expected sperm competition risk (e.g. virgins). However, patterns of male mate choice could be mitigated by variation in female physiological receptivity, as males can benefit by directing their mating efforts towards females that are at a point in their reproductive cycle when fertilization probability is highest. Here, we perform three experiments to assess whether male mate choice is influenced by cues of female physiological receptivity, fecundity or sperm competition risk in the pygmy halfbeak (Dermogenys collettei), a small livebearing fish. Female halfbeaks possess a 'gravid spot'- an orange abdominal marking that is caused by pigmentation of the females' skin and variation in embryo development and pigmentation during pregnancy. We show that gravid spot size increases towards parturition and is largest right before giving birth, independent of abdominal width or body length. Males consistently chose females with large gravid spots over females with small gravid spots. In contrast, males did not prefer larger females over smaller females or virgin females over mated females. As female halfbeaks store sperm prior to fertilizations, we suggest that males use the size of the gravid spot as a cue to direct their mating efforts to those females where the chance of fertilization is highest.

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Sympatry predicts spot pigmentation patterns and female association behavior in the livebearing fish Poeciliopsis baenschi

In this study, we explored the possibility that differences in pigmentation patterns among populations of the fish Poeciliopsis baenschi were associated with the presence or absence of the closely related species P. turneri. If reproductive character displacement is responsible, spotting patterns in these two species should diverge in sympatry, but not allopatry. We predicted that female P. baenschi from sympatric sites should show a preference for associating with conspecifics vs. heterospecific males, but females from allopatric sites should show no such preferences. To evaluate these predictions, we compared spotting patterns and female association behaviors in populations of P. baenschi from Central Mexico. We found that both of our predictions were supported. Poeciliopsis baenschi that co-occured with P. turneri had spotting patterns significantly different than their counterparts from allopatric sites. Using a simultaneous choice test of video presentations of males, we also found that female P. baenschi from populations that co-occured with P. turneri spent significantly more time with males of their own species than with P. turneri males. In contrast, females from allopatric populations of P. baenschi showed no differences in the amount of time they spent with either conspecific or heterospecific males. Together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that reproductive character displacement may be responsible for behavioral and spotting pattern differences in these populations of P. baenschi.

Data from: Great spotted cuckoo disregard information on conspecific breeding success while parasitizing magpie

The study of mechanisms underlying host selection by brood parasites usually lays on selection by parasites of host traits that inform on host parental abilities or location. However, brood parasites might use information extracted from past reproductive performance of either their hosts or themselves, a possibility almost neglected. In this study, we use a long-term data set to analyse whether the probability of parasitism by great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) of a magpie (Pica pica) nest in a given year is related with the reproductive outcome of any of the two species in the surroundings of that nest the previous year. We found that probability of parasitism for a nest in a year was explained by previous year cuckoo reproductive outcome and parasitism rate in the area surrounding the focal nest, but not by host reproductive outcome. To discern between the effect of parasitism rate and that of parasite reproductive success on parasite choices we carried out an experiment modifying the natural correlation found between parasitism status and host and parasite success in the patches. The results showed that neither host nor cuckoo reproductive outcome in a patch after the experiment explained probability of parasitism the following year. Only parasitism rate in the surroundings of a nest before the experiment explained probability of parasitism for this nest in the following year. Hence, these results indicate that great spotted cuckoos disregard social information related to past parasitism outcome, probably because parasitism outcome is tightly correlated with parasitism itself.

opencc-zeroOct 2019View details →

Color preference of the spotted wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a significant invasive pest in soft-skin fruits and berries in Asia, Europe, and North and South America. Many herbivorous insects use multiple cues for host selection, particularly olfactory and visual stimuli. The visual system of closely-related Drosophila melanogaster is well-documented, expressing strong sensitivity to short-wavelength colors (ultraviolet to green) and only limited sensitivity to long-wavelength colors (red to infrared). <a name="_Hlk14941109">Our results suggest that D. suzukii have limited ability to distinguish red consistent with visual sensitivity range within the melanogaster subgroup. </a>We propose that color contrast rather than color appearance may be of greater importance in orientation and attraction. We propose that differences in reflectance between light wavelengths important for color opponency are key to color discrimination to provide color contrast between foreground and background, as occurs between fruit and foliage, during host-finding.

Data from: Eggshell spotting pattern is related to hatching asynchrony, hematocrit value and growth of nestling great tits (Parus major)

Eggshell pigmentation may signal the quality of the egg, that of the female and the environment, and thus nestling development may be related to this egg trait. However, so far, few studies have investigated the relationship between eggshell pigmentation and nestling development. Our aim was to study in a partial cross-fostering experiment whether the protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation (spot intensity and spot distribution) showed any significant associations with several traits related to the development of nestling great tits (Parus major). We found that nestlings from clutches with darker spotted eggshells hatched more synchronously, had higher hematocrit value and shorter wings. Females under adverse environmental circumstances were previously shown to lay darker-spotted eggs, and these females probably delayed the start of incubation due to energetic constraints, resulting in a more synchronous hatching. The shorter wings of fledglings originating from clutches with darker-spotted eggs may be caused by the lower general quality of their mothers, mediated through either genetic factors or early maternal effects. Darker spotted eggs may contain different levels of some biomolecules than paler spotted eggs, which could have an effect on nestling metabolism and activity, resulting in an elevated hematocrit value. More aggregated eggshell spotting was related to faster bone growth and slightly longer fledging tarsus length. Eggs with aggregated spotting may have thinner eggshells that could lead to hatchlings with smaller bones due to the lower availability of calcium during development. Neslings may increase bone growth rate to compensate for their smaller initial size. Overall, our results indirectly suggest lower fitness for nestlings hatched from darker spotted eggs and for nestlings hatched from eggs with more aggregated spotting distribution due to the possible long-term costs of synchronous hatching, shorter wings, and accelerated tarsus growth rate.

opencc-zeroJun 2019View details →

Data from: De novo assembly of a chromosome-level reference genome of red spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara) using nanopore sequencing and Hi-C

The red spotted grouper Epinephelus akaara (E. akaara) is one of the most economically important marine fish in China, Japan and Southeast Asia, and is a threatened species. The species is also considered a good model for studies of sex-inversion, development, genetic diversity and immunity. Despite its importance, molecular resources for E. akaara remain limited and no reference genome has been published to date. In this study, we constructed a chromosome-level reference genome of E. akaara by taking advantage of long-read single molecule sequencing and de novo assembly by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and Hi-C. A red-spotted grouper genome of 1.135 Gb was assembled from a total of 106.29 Gb polished Nanopore sequence (GridION, ONT), equivalent to 96-fold genome coverage. The assembled genome represents 96.8% completeness (BUSCO) with a contig N50 length of 5.25 Mb and a longest contig of 25.75 Mb. The contigs were clustered and ordered onto 24 pseudo-chromosomes covering approximately 95.55% of the genome assembly with Hi-C data, with a scaffold N50 length of 46.03 Mb. The genome contained 43.02% repeat sequences and 5,480 non-coding RNAs. Furthermore, after mining several RNA-seq datasets, 23,809 (99.5%) genes were functionally annotated from a total of 23,924 predicted protein-coding sequences. The high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of E. akaara was assembled for the first time and will be a valuable resource for molecular breeding and functional genomics studies of red-spotted grouper in the future.

Data from: Back and forth Wolbachia transfers reveal efficient strains to control spotted wing drosophila populations

1.Since its recent invasion of the European and American continents, the spotted wing Drosophila Drosophila suzukii has become a burden of the fruit industry. Armed with a highly sclerotized ovipositor, females can lay eggs in a wider variety of ripening and healthy fruits than other Drosophila species. Economic losses due to Drosophila suzukii reach millions of dollars annually and methods to control natural populations in the field mainly rely on the use of chemical pesticides. 2.We tested if Wolbachia bacteria represents a potential ally to control this pest. These symbionts are naturally present in many insects and often induce a form of conditional sterility called Cytoplasmic Incompatibility (CI): the offspring of infected males die, unless the eggs are rescued by the compatible infection, inherited from the mother that protects the embryo. A long-recognised, a strategy called the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) makes use of the CI phenotype to control insect populations through the mass release of infected males. To implement this technique in D. suzukii, we used back and forth Wolbachia transfers between D. suzukii and D. simulans to identify Wolbachia strains that can sterilize D. suzukii females despite the presence of wSuz, a natural Wolbachia infection in this species. 3.We identified two Wolbachia strains as potential candidates for developing IIT in D. suzukii. Both induce a very high level of CI in this pest which is not attenuated by the presence of wSuz in females. Moreover, the newly transferred Wolbachia do not affect the fitness or the mating competitiveness of the sterilizing males. 4.Synthesis and applications. Although several critical steps still need to be tested and developed outside the laboratory to achieve the control of Drosophila suzukii using Incompatible Insect Technique. By an experimental approach in large population cage, we showed that releases of transinfected males limits population size. Thus, we provide in this study the proof of concept that this technique can be a very promising approach to control D. suzukii populations.

opencc-zeroDec 2009View details →

Data from: Hot spots of genetic diversity descended from multiple Pleistocene refugia in an alpine ungulate

Species that inhabit naturally fragmented environments are expected to be spatially structured and exhibit reduced genetic diversity at the periphery of their range. Patterns of differentiation may also reflect historical processes such as recolonization from glacial refugia. We examined the relative importance of these factors in shaping the spatial patterns of genetic differentiation across the range of an alpine specialist, the North American mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus). Contrary to fossil evidence which suggests a single southern refugium, we detected evidence for additional refugia in northern British Columbia and the Alaskan coast using both mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA. A core area of elevated genetic diversity characterized both regions, and molecular dating suggested a recent Pleistocene split was followed by demographic expansion. Across their range, mountain goats were highly genetically structured and displayed the expected pattern of declining diversity towards the periphery. Gene flow was high within contiguous mountain ranges, but cross-assignments paradoxically suggest that long-distance contemporary dispersal movements are not uncommon. These results improve our understanding of how historical vicariance and contemporary fragmentation influence population differentiation, and have implications for conserving the adaptive potential of alpine populations and habitat.

Data from: Nutritional geometry and fitness consequences in Drosophila suzukii, the Spotted-Wing Drosophila

Since its arrival to North America less than a decade ago, the invasive Spotted-Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) has inflicted substantial economic losses on soft fruit agriculture due to its ability to oviposit into ripening fruits. More effective management approaches for this species are needed, but little is known about the factors that influence behavioral choices made by D. suzukii when selecting hosts, or the consequences that their offspring experience when developing in different environments. Using a nutritional geometry methodology, we found that the ratio of proteins-to-carbohydrates (P:C) present in media greatly influenced adult D. suzukii behavior and subsequent offspring development. Whereas adult flies showed a strong bias in their oviposition and association behaviors toward carbohydrate-rich foods, larval survival and eclosion rate were strongly dependent on protein availability. Here, we explore the preference–performance hypothesis (PPH), in which females are predicted to oviposit on medias that provide the greatest offspring benefits, in regard to its relevance in D. suzukii behavior and consequences for management. Our results provide valuable insight into the ecology and evolution of this species that may hopefully lead to more effective management strategies.

opennotspecifiedDec 2010View details →

FIGURE 1 in Taxonomic and bionomic notes on the white spot assassin bug Platymeris biguttatus (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Reduviinae)

FIGURE 1. Platymeris biguttatus (Linnaeus), 3. Habitus. Scale bar = 5.33 mm.

opennotspecifiedDec 2010View details →

FIGURE 36. Relations between wing length and spot distance 3–4 in A systematic review of the genus Tan yp u s Meigen from Japan, with a description of T. n ak aza toi sp. nov. (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae)

FIGURE 36. Relations between wing length and spot distance 3–4.

opennotspecifiedDec 2016View details →

FIGURE 1 in A new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera, Phoridae) with wing-spots from China

FIGURE 1. Megaselia bisticta sp. nov. body in left lateral view. Scale bar=0.5mm.